A Perfect Love
by Slina
Summary: Erik is determined to create a masterpiece of perfection in Christine. But what will be the cost? Written for the Fourth Morbidity Contest.


_This story was written for the Fourth Morbidity Contest, and now has a few minor changes._

A Perfect Love

It was ironic that something as beautiful as my apple could be so deadly. The empty bottle and needle were stored away leaving no trace of the poison which was now hidden under the apple's flawless skin. It reminded me of the apple that once ended Eve's perfection in the Garden of Eden… perhaps because I would use it to end my own life. I knew I was far from perfect, but one bite of that apple would drain the imperfect life from me, leaving nothing behind but an innocent corpse. Certainly, that was the only perfection I could ever hope to have. A single bite was all I would need…

"Erik?"

I spun around to see Christine standing in my doorway. Christine! I must never forget my Christine! She was my own little Eve whom I was shaping into the innocent girl Eve herself had once been. Oh, it would not be much longer now, and then she could help me create a perfect love! I would have no need of the apple then!

"Erik?" she repeated.

I hastily set the apple down. "Yes, Christine?"

"I- I must ask… Forgive me if it seems… cruel…" She nervously twisted her sleeve around her finger. "Why do you wear the mask?" she asked suddenly.

I looked away as I felt my stomach start to turn. How could she ask me such a thing? "You must not ask that, Christine."

"But why? Surely you can let me see your face?"

"That is impossible." As I looked back at her I could see the hurt in her eyes, but there was nothing else I could say.

"Just one little glimpse?"

"No!"

She jumped back in terror, and I quickly began to sing. She slowly began to relax, and her eyes seemed to glaze over as she started to lean toward me. I continued to sing, letting my music wrap her in its haunting melody.

At last I stopped and gazed breathlessly at her. I did not deserve her… not yet! Oh, but she was so close to being perfect! "Christine, it is very late," I said quietly. "You must go to bed at once." I stroked my hand through her golden hair. "Unless you would rather stay…"

She turned her head toward me and her eyes brightened a little. "I'd rather stay," she murmured, and I felt my heart flutter. The apple could wait a little longer!

"Then perhaps… you could sing for me…" My voice was scarcely above a whisper. I was afraid that at any moment I might break the spell I had woven. "You need not sing very long. Only for a very short while."

She nodded, and I took her hand in mine. I was breathless as I led the way across the room to the organ. "What do you wish to sing tonight?" I asked. "We could try some Mozart if you wish."

She nodded and let her hand stroke the polished keys. "Mozart would be nice…"

I smiled and turned to the piles of music, searching for a good song. Oh, there were so many she would love! I had many arias and duets, and her voice would do wonders to any one of them!

At last I chose one and turned back to Christine. Her eyes were a bit clearer now, and she was looking curiously at the various things around my organ. I frowned as I saw her gaze fall on the apple. "Christine, you must not distract yourself."

She turned to me with such penitent eyes that I regretted speaking to her so harshly. I knew it was all for her own good, but oh, how fragile she was! I must be careful so that I would not cause her to fall. "Come, I have chosen something for you to sing."

Christine looked down nervously. "Erik? May I… may I ask something first?"

"Yes, Christine."

She twisted her fingers around the white silk of her dress, her pale cheeks flushing a light shade of pink. "When will I be free?"

My heart froze. Free? But that was why I had brought her down here in the first place. Down here, nothing bad could happen to her, and she would be free to become the innocent Eve I wanted her to be! Why must she ask for what I had already given her! "Christine, of course you will be free!" I exclaimed.

She brightened. "When?"

"When you are at last happy to be here with me, and when you feel that you have chosen to be here, _then_ you will be free."

Her face fell again, and she let out a sigh. "Then I am never to go home again," she whispered.

I hated to hurt her, but what choice did I have? I was only doing what I knew was best for her. "This is your home, Christine," I said.

Her eyes filled with tears. "No, this isn't home."

"But it will become your home!" I cried out. I was growing desperate. I knew it was for the best, and after all, I loved her! I loved her ever so much, and wanted only the best for her! Surely she could understand that! "Christine," I cried, "I cannot expect you to feel at home right away, but you will! Believe me, Christine, you will!" I fell down at her feet and began to wail. "You will love it here, Christine, because I love you! I love you, Christine… I love you, I love you, I love you!" I clutched at her skirts, floods of tears staining the pure white silk of her dress. I felt so small, so pitiful next to her! I was completely undeserving of her, but Christine… Christine was perfection itself! It would not be long until she would become my very own Eve – my own perfect Eve!

At last I released her dress and crawled away to the side of the room. I lay there sobbing until I could bring myself under control. When I finally stood to face her again, she was gone.

I did not sleep that night. Many times I looked at the apple, but I could never bring myself to touch it. It seemed wrong somehow that I should end my broken life with something so perfect. Besides, Christine was so close to perfection… so close to becoming my masterpiece. How could I possibly leave her now? She would be destroyed without me, and I would never have a chance to create our perfect love!

After hours of torturing myself with my thoughts, I pulled out some music and allowed myself to become lost in it. I let the music consume me until Christine returned the next morning.

She crept across the room until she stopped directly behind me. My heart was racing, but I could not turn around. No, not yet. I could not bear to frighten her. I held my breath as her hand reached out, making its way toward my face. I closed my eyes as her hand inched closer… closer…

She jumped back as a blast of cold air struck my face. I jerked my hands from the keys and spun around toward Christine. She stood frozen behind me, my black mask at her feet. "How dare you!" I roared. "I warned you never to touch it! How dare you!" She backed away, but I lunged forward and grabbed her wrists. I could hear myself screaming at her. _Christine,_ I wanted to cry out. _Christine! How could you do it? How could you destroy everything I've worked for? Everything!_ I felt her nails tearing through the flesh on my face. _Why, Christine? You were such a good girl! Why did you do it!_

At last I let her go and she ran from the room. I ripped out my copy of _Don Juan_, hardly aware what I was doing. _If you are so determined to lose your innocence, Christine, then I will gladly help you!_

I thundered through my opera, delighting in the torturous sounds it produced. When it was over I dropped my hands and stared at the organ. My apple sat nearby, mocking me with its flawless surface. I stormed over and snatched it up, but just before I could hurl it across the room, I stopped and broke into laughter. Oh, the apple looked flawless enough, but I knew what lay inside! Inside it was far from perfect! Inside it was poison! I continued to laugh, my voice rising to an incredibly high register. It was just like the apple in the Garden! Eve had eaten it, and it had destroyed her! I grinned widely at my apple. Yes, it had destroyed Eve, but what was stopping it from healing her as well?

I hid the apple behind my back and entered Christine's room, the grin still planted firmly on my face. I could see the fear in her blue eyes as she looked up at me. _Do not be frightened, Christine! Erik will not be very long._

I stopped just beside her bed and thrust my face toward her. "Now do you see why Erik did not want you to see his face?" I demanded.

Christine gave me a silent nod.

"Are you sure? Because Erik does not think that you do." She gasped and started to back away. "Christine, do not be frightened!" I cried out. "Erik will not harm you!"

Christine shook her head in terror.

"Trust Erik, Christine. Erik can always be trusted." My grin widened as I knelt beside her on the bed. "Do you know why Erik brought you here?"

"You said… you said I would be safe."

"Have you heard the story of Eve and the apple?" Christine nodded, and I continued. "As long as Eve did not eat the apple, she would be perfect. Nothing bad could happen to her." I held the apple in front of me and the color rushed from her face. "Do not be frightened, Christine!" I cried. "Erik will not harm you!"

"But the apple…"

"You have already eaten the apple, my little Eve. You removed my mask – the one thing I told you not to do! – and now you have fallen!"

"Erik!"

"Erik does not want to harm you, Christine! He loves you far too much!"

"Erik, you're mad!"

"No! Erik promises not to hurt you! He only wishes to remove the imperfection… he wants to make you perfect again!"

"But the apple…"

I dropped my voice to a hypnotic tone, desperate to make her listen to me. "The apple made Eve fall, Christine, but it will make her perfect again." I held out the apple toward her. "It will only hurt for a little while, Christine. Erik will not harm you."

Christine stared at the apple and shivered. "What will happen?"

"It will only hurt for a little while," I repeated. "Then Eve will be perfect again."

Christine hesitated for a moment. Then, ever so slowly, she reached out and took it from my grasp. Her hand shook as she took a single bite.

For a few moments nothing happened, and Christine looked back at me with an unspoken question in her eyes. Suddenly, she let out a heavy gasp, and plunged forward against the bed frame, the apple falling to the ground. I let my hand rest on her shoulder. "Only a little while," I said.

"Only a little while…" she gasped. Then her eyes rolled back and she collapsed over the side of the bed.

I picked her up and lay her across the bed so her head rested on the pillow. I stood back and smiled as I looked down into her beautiful face. Her imperfect life was almost gone now, and soon there would be nothing left but perfection. I bent over and kissed her white lips, careful not to waken her. It would not be long now.


End file.
